Killing 44 people and causing $26.5 billion in damages, Hurricane Andrew wiped out more than 125,000 South Florida homes in 1992, making it one of the most expensive hurricanes of all time. In light of more recent superstorms like Texas’ Hurricane Harvey (and its estimated $180 billion in damages) and Hurricane Katrina—which decimated New Orleans’ economy for 10 years after it hit—people may have forgotten about the South Florida Category 5 storm. But the residents of Miami remember. Andrew’s effects have been felt there for decades, and its landfall was a watershed moment for measuring the impact of climate change as it applies to storms.
Now, with Hurricane Irma tracking toward Florida, the Southeast U.S. is bracing itself for what may be another devastating weather event. Miami has ordered partial evacuations already, and even announced the Wednesday closure of Key West Airport in anticipation of Irma making landfall. What is Florida afraid of? Refresh your memory by looking at these photos of what happened in Hurricane Andrew’s wake.
